Green Lantern Production Begins Today!

Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment’s first ever live-action adaptation of the Emerald Knight is taking a big step forward today with the start of principal photography for Green Lantern. With that news also comes some final casting announcements for the supporting cast, including the actor who will play the part of passing the Green Lantern ring to Ryan Reynolds’ Hal Jordan.

According to On Location Vacations, Geoff Johns, recently named Chief Creative Officer of DC Entertainment, made a trip to the Green Lantern set in New Orleans and came back with nothing but praise. They’re now reporting that the official start day for the project is today and that they’ll be filming a bar scene at the Old Point Bar downtown.

Says Geoff Johns:

“Back from an amazing trip to Green Lantern town a.k.a. New Orleans!! Ryan IS Hal. And Mark Strong is going to be a brilliant Sinestro.”

As for casting the supporting characters for the film, Empire is reporting that they’ve chosen who will play fellow Green Lantern Abin Sur as well as who takes the part Hal Jordan’s best friend and co-pilot.

Temuera Morrison, who played Jango Fett and the clones in the second and third Star Wars prequels has been selected by director Martin Campbell to play Abin Sur, the alien who crash lands on Earth, passing the Green Lantern Ring to Ryan Reynolds’ character. In late January we got what may be our first look of the design of Abin Sur through some concept art that made its way online. Abin Sur is the character seen on the left below.

Abin Sur (left) and Tomar-Re (right)

The other actor who signed on is Taika Waititi (goes by Taika Cohen) who is lesser known but has dome some writing, directing and acting work, including helming a few episodes of the comedy series Flight of the Conchords.

With shooting for Green Lanternstarting today the big question on everybody’s mind is how they’re going to be bringing the 3D element to the project; Will they shoot in 3D or add it in post like Warner Bros. quickly did for Clash of the Titans recently? For obvious reasons, I hope that if they’re adding the 3D for the higher ticket prices that they shoot from the beginning in that way. That being said, it’s cheaper for them to add it in post so I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s the route they take.

What are you thoughts on the project, casting and 3D?

Green Lantern opens June 17, 2011. Director Martin Campbell and his award-winning crew get to work today.